The Chicago reunion
was a success, thanks to the hard work of Jack Corcoran. See his recap
below.

At the Board
Meeting, Pat Fisher resigned as secretary and Jim Siler was elected
secretary. We owe many thanks to Pat and Claudia for their tireless
work for this association for many years. Pat and I will do our best to
do a good job for the association. Our contact information is on the
last page of this newsletter. Please feel free to contact us with
comments and suggestions on how to make this an even better newsletter
than it is already.

If you currently
receive this newsletter by US mail and you have an email address, please
send your email address to one of us. As you know, postage is
increasing nearly every year and the more we can send via email, the
less postage the association has to pay. Also, if your address, phone
number or email address changes, please be sure to send it to us as soon
as possible. We want to be sure you continue to receive newsletters and
that we have correct contact information.

We often receive
information of benefit to veterans. If space allows, we’ll include this
information on the Veterans Information Page. In this newsletter, there
is information on Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam and the fact that the
VA now recognizes several conditions that are “presumed” to be caused by
exposure. If you’ve previously filed a claim and been denied, you may
now be eligible for VA disability benefits.

The next reunion
will be in Salem, OR in Sept. 2010. Details will be in the next
newsletter.

Fair Winds and
Smooth Sailing

Jim & Pat Siler

Message from Jack
Corcoran

Thank you for all
the kind words and thank you notes which I’ve received. They are
extremely appreciated. Everyone can take credit for the Chicago
Reunion. Any time I needed assistance or direction, someone was right
there to guide me. The accommodations and hotel staff were superb.
Everyone seemed to be fed well and enjoyed the events we experienced.
One of the most enjoyable things about reunions is the week long
camaraderie and BS, which we love. John Bryan won the $25 prize for the
password selection “Tin Can” for our visit to Tommy Gun’s Garage. Marie
Lesh launched her career challenge to Martha Stewart with her excellent
breads and cookies. One of my perks was taking home the breads that
were left. Thank you Marie! I’m lathering them up with butter and
enjoying every slice.

Ruth Hamilton, as
always, did a fantastic job of getting our lunches spread out. On
Friday, we had a small window of time between returning from Great Lakes
and attending the business meeting and raffle to have lunch. On the
bus, I mentioned to Ruth how little time she’d have to get the lunch
out. Well, BINGO! We returned to a full table, courtesy of Pat
Godfrey. She stepped up and had everything ready for us. A big thank
you to Pat Godfrey.

Our group was
recognized as being in attendance at the Great Lakes Graduation. We
even had the opportunity to tour Great Lakes Naval Station and visit the
Exchange. A salute to Frank Bruno (WWII) for having eight family
members join us at our banquet.

Unfinished business
is that I have shirts available. I have five shirts on hand. They’re
the same powder blue Polo w/pocket and our reunion assn. emblem on the
back. Small, medium and large are $18. Sizes XX and above are $20.
They would make great Christmas gifts. Email Jack at amadon1940@gmail.com
or phone him at 309-379-7040 to order.

There were two group
pictures taken, one at Soldier Field after the Memorial Service and one
at the banquet. The pictures are $15 each. Copies can be ordered from:

Pam Proctor
Photography

7986 Bunton Road

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

831-902-0814

pamproctor@msn.com

Now that I’m no
longer President, I’m going to miss the playing of “Hail to the Chief”
whenever I enter a room! Collectively, let’s all wish the best of luck
to Diane Essig and Jim & Pat Siler for a successful reunion and better
attendance in Salem, OR in 2010.

Mini-Reunion,
Kerrville, TX – 2010

Sam Thomas provided
information for the next mini-reunion. The reunion includes the
Memorial Day service at the Nimitz Memorial. Sam says, “Anyone who has
ever served in the United States Navy and their families should try and
make it to the Nimitz Memorial at least one time.” Many Balch and
Porterfield sailors’ names are on bricks at the memorial and there is a
large plaque on the Memorial Wall showing both ships. Also, there are
individual plaques of Balch-Porterfield shipmates on the Wall. Our
small association has more of the above than any other ship that served
in the United States Navy. To order bricks online: http://www.nimitz-museum.org/memorial.htm#bricks.
Or contact Pat Siler for a copy of the form to be mailed to you.

Sam Thomas spoke
with Frank Kurtz. He was really honored to have the reunion dedicated
to him. He’s having problems with his legs but hopes to attend the
Oregon reunion next year. Sam also spoke with Marv Westcott. Marv had
planned to attend the Chicago reunion but got sick at the last minute
and was unable to attend.

Sick
Bay -
Please keep the following in your thoughts and prayers.

Clements, Russell
(Porterfield, BMSN, 62-64)

Forbes, Oscar “Oz”
(Porterfield, SHCS, 58-60)

Hegel, Eileen, wife
of Fred (Porterfield, MM3, 60-62)

Hutten, Ken, husband
of Mary (widow of Augie DeWolf, Balch 43-44)

Laycock, Carol,
widow of Cliff (Porterfield, MM, 51-55)

Shaffer, Bonnie,
wife of Jeff (Porterfield, TM3, 60-63)

Thomas, June, wife
of Sam (Balch/Porterfield, 42-43/43-45)

Additions to the
Memorial List

Dirlam, Jr., Frank
J. (Porterfield, WWII)

Fogler, Samuel J.
“Sam”, (Porterfield, WT1, 43-46)

Pearl, Richard J.
“Dick”, Porterfield, ET2, 51-54)

Schmitt, Faye, wife
of Big Joe (Porterfield, TM3, 43-45)

Toal, Bill
(Porterfield, FTSN, 52-54

Additions to the
Roster

Hayhurst, John

mochi36@peoplepc.com

Porterfield, EM, 59

Jenkins, Rex H.

766 Harpeth Rd.

Nashville, TN 37221

615-646-4475

rexjenk39@yahoo.com

Porterfield, SF3,
61-62

Jochim, Stanley

Balch, WWII

chuerbin@gmail.com

Email is daughter
Carol Huerbin

Retton, Tony

PO Box 7124

Eugene, OR 97401

341-344-1976

dixietony@aol.com

Porterfield, BM3,
52-56

Tagg, Robert “Bob”

btagg@lawrencehall.com

Wilkerson, Fred

5060 California Ave
#1000

Bakersfield, CA
93309

661-633-3818

fred.wilkerson@cbre.com

Porterfield, SM,
67-69

Address, Phone,
and/or Email Changes

Butler, James

3405 Hyperion Way SE

Palm Bay, FL 32909

Cell: 321-506-5200

Ditzler, Donald

1282 N 11th
St.

Daved City, NE
68632

402-367-3500

Ditzler@neb.rr.com

Sam Thomas

3571 Vista Grande

Shingle Springs, CA
95682

530-677-6384

Balch-Porterfield
Reunion Association

Expense Report

Fiscal Year Ending
October 31, 2009

Item

Expenses

Income

Totals

Balance
10/31/2008

$7,587.48

Income -
non-reunion related

Cap &
Decal Sales

$176.00

Donations

485.00

Total
non-reunion related income

$661.00

Balance

$8,248.48

Expenses
- non-reunion related

Cap
Expenses

$
12.86

Newsletter - printing & postage

726.13

Total
non-reunion related expenses

$738.99

Balance

$7,509.49

Reunion
Income

Money
credited to Jack Corcoran

$2,000.00

Registrations

235.00

Kitty

1,345.00

Raffle

250.00

Activities

11,908.00

Total
Reunion Income

$15,738.00

Balance

$23,247.49

Reunion
Expenses

Tommy
Gun's Garage

$2,115.00

Music -
Monday

395.00

Music -
Friday

495.00

Abbot
Tours

4,648.00

Photography

250.00

Museum &
Confectionary tours

235.00

Hotel
Expenses - Food

2,180.00

Quarterdeck - food and beverages

880.12

Printing
& Engraving

195.98

Advance
to Jim Siler for Oregon reunion

0.00

**

Wreath

263.00

Total
Reunion Expenses

$11,657.10

Bank
Balance 10/31/09

$11,590.39

** No
advance was given for the Oregon reunion at the request of
Jim Siler.

Veterans Information

VA INCREASES AGENT
ORANGE ILLNESS PRESUMPTIONS LIST

WASHINGTON (October
13, 2009) —
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is applauding Veterans Affairs
Secretary Eric K. Shinseki’s decision to increase by three the number of
illnesses that can now be linked to the herbicide defoliant Agent
Orange, which was used extensively during the Vietnam War.

Today’s addition of
hairy cell leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease
raises to 15 the total number of “presumed” service-connected illnesses
the VA considers linked to Agent Orange.

"This is very
significant," said VFW national commander Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., a
Vietnam veteran from Sussex, Wis. "Veterans who contracted one or more
of the 15 associated illnesses no longer have to prove their illness was
due to their service in Vietnam during the war. The VA is saying ‘We
believe you,’ which will enable more veterans to receive the healthcare
and benefits they earned and deserve."

Shinseki’s decision
is supported by an independent study by the Institute of Medicine,
entitled, "Veterans and Agent Orange,"
which was
released on July 24, 2009.

Tradewell called the
IOM report — the eighth in a series — extremely important because
scientific research is continuing into the long-term effects of Agent
Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War.

"The report also
means scientific research is continuing to validate what the veterans'
community has been saying for decades — that Agent Orange is making
people sick," he said.

"As a former Army
chief of staff and twice-wounded Vietnam combat veteran of two tours,
Secretary Shinseki knows how to take care of troops and their families.
His acceptance of the IOM recommendations also proves that he will
listen to the scientific community and act on their recommendations if
it helps to better serve veterans and their families,” said Tradewell.
"The veterans community is extremely fortunate to have him in our
corner."

The new list of 15
illnesses now recognized under VA's "presumption" rule are:

To read the VA press
release with links to more information on each illness, go to
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1796

Contact Information

James W. “Jim”
Siler, Jr. (BT3, 64-66)

835 Claybanks Drive

Callaway, VA 24067

H: 540-483-5727

C: 540-420-5809

jwsilerbtc@earthlink.net

Pat Siler

C: 540-420-5808

silerpugs@yahoo.com

Please contact
either one of us with address, phone, email changes and any other crew
information. If you have questions relating to other subjects, we will
see that it gets to the proper person.

Website

http://www.balch-porterfield.org

The Balch-Porterfield
Reunion Association website is managed by Jeff Shaffer. Please contact
Jim Siler with website questions or information and we will see to it
that Jeff gets them.

Baseball Caps

For baseball caps,
please indicate which ship you were on. The price is $10.00, which
includes shipping.

The first patch,
with the Pacific Ocean globe with Pride of the Pacific on it, was issuedduring the Korean Conflict (price $4.00) and the second patch, with
a seahorse and spear came out in the 60’s (price $4.00). The decal is
the same design as the 60’s, with the seahorse (price $1.00).

For those of you who
have computers and internet access, we have a “group page” for the USS
Porterfield on Facebook (www.facebook.com). It’s a place where
shipmates can swap sea stories, post pictures and otherwise keep in
touch. There’s even a “chat” feature where you can write back and forth
in “real time”. If you’re already on Facebook, Type USS Porterfield
in the search box at the upper right hand corner of any page and click
to search. Then click on the name of the ship to reach the page. On
the left, there is a list where you will see “Join Group”. Click on that
and you’re in. It’s as simple as that. If you know of other shipmates
who are on Facebook, you can “Invite” them to join as well. If you’re
not on Facebook, it’s easy and free to join. We already have several
members on there and welcome more, including family members. Reunion
information will be on the page as well. To find us on Facebook, type
James “Bill” Siler or Patricia Anderson Siler in the search box. When
you find us, send us a friend request.